𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐄𝐒 + 𝐘𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐄! 𝐋𝐄𝐕𝐈 𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐍

016

016
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Marriage
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You come down and tell me
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Erwin Smith examined the colourful
packaging on the selves belonging to the nearby drugstore.

He hadn't change much, truthfully.
He barely ever shaved, leaving him with a grunge, scuffed look. His hair, was no longer slicked back in place, but rather messily out of place, blonde strands of hair sticking up out of place.

Half the time, he would leave the house with the fly of his jeans down, until reminded by a usual flirtatious woman obsessed with the ideology of fixing a broken man into their perfect husband.

He would glare angrily, and hold back a few tears as the words rang through his head; why aren't you her? He would then give a shaky thank you, fixing his attire, and leave the lustful women behind.

He sighed, grabbing his bare minimum, and often, the cheapest, option for his shower toiletries. He threw a box of condoms into his basket, not only to fool the cashier to think he was getting action, but himself. He had two other, full boxes at home. The rather odd action, brought him comfort at times.
He left the aisle, shaking his head at himself.

He grabbed a can of beer, just one, to show himself he still had some self control, and headed towards the cash register, getting in line. He fooled around with the items in his basket, recalling if he was missing anything he needed.

It's been months since Chun-Hwa officially left him. Getting close to a year.

And yet, he still wanted her home. He still wasn't used to doing his own laundry, cooking his own meals, grocery shopping for one. He woke up, loathing the mattress that seemed to mock her figure on her side of the bed. He tried to throw out the last bit of toothpaste in her foreign-language bottle, but he cried, digging it out of the garbage when he did.
He kept her phone-Bluetooth in his car.

He would go out to her white Mercedes-Benz, listening to her old, favourite songs, screaming and crying to himself in the driveway.
He sold his car, when money got tight and he had to opt for a cheaper alternative, though he could not sell her car. Even when he scrapped by for food.

A text message came through, and when Erwin looked at his phone, a gleam of hope came to him.
It was his old plastic surgery's office number, with the message;
Hello Erwin! Hope all is well, the director would like to speak to you some time this week, when it's convenient for you. He wishes for you return to your job, soon. He thinks your punishment for what you've done, is over.

Erwin stayed silent in the line, clutching onto his phone for dear life, a small smile tugging on his lips. He was at a lost of words. Happy, that at least something would return to normal.

"Erwin?"
The familiar voice made him snap out of his little trance, turning his full-body attention around.

"C-Chul-Woo!"
Erwin beamed, a huge smile plastered on his face, he took a few steps towards the familiar man, to continue the conversation.

"Well! How are you, buddy!?"
He chuckled, swinging his arm around Erwin's neck.

It tumbled Erwin a little off guard, backwards, which made Chul-Woo get a good glimpse inside of Erwin's basket, viewing the overly large box of condoms, which made him grin.